Bahá’í News/Issue 342/Text
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| No. 342 | BAHA’I YEAR 116 | AUGUST, 1959 |
Gardens of the Shrine of Baha’u’llah at Bahji
View of the gardens at the
Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh from the
Mansion. The new garden extensions, where the Covenant breakers’ building formerly
stood, are in the foreground.
Entrance to the Shrine of
Bahá’u’lláh at Bahjí. At the left
are the garden extensions.
The Mother Temple of Africa
WORK has now started on the dome of the Kampala Temple and, with the ribs in place, it is possible to see the general shape of the building.
Below the dome, the solid concrete shell, reinforced with steel, with solid block in-filling, is complete. No wood is used anywhere in the structure, even the tiles being laid in mortar on the reinforced concrete roofs.
The dome, structurally designed in the form of a steel basket which carries the concrete, consists of six-inch reinforced concrete at the springing, or base of the dome, diminishing to a thickness or four inches at the top. The dome is being cast in-situ, with about a three-inch depth of well-tamped concrete laid at a time; as each three-inch section hardens, the next section is poured, so that the whole structure is self-supportting as it goes up.
Concealed electrical conduit has been installed throughout for future lighting when electricity is available.
The dome of the Temple will be covered in tiny, pale
green glass mosaic, which will shimmer in the African
sunlight, and the roofs will carry glazed pantiles at a
similar colour. From the dome down to the higher of
the two roofs the finish of the building will be in smooth[Page 3]
precast stone, but below that the finish will be of plaster. This has been arranged in order to obviate the
erection of expensive scaffolding in the future, which
would have been necessary had a rougher, cheaper
finish, requiring frequent cleaning, been used on the
upper part of the building. The cleaning of the Temple
below the roofs will be a much simpler operation.
Plans are progressing on the caretakers’ house and service buildings, which are situated quite Close to the Temple. These auxiliary buildings will not be visible from the Temple for they will be surrounded by trees and hedging.
Plans have been set in motion for the landscaping of the Temple grounds Which, when finished, will be extremely beautiful. A great deal of work and consultation has gone into the preparation of these plans, and an expert has been consulted. The Temple is to be surrounded by a thirty-foot swathe of grass, unbroken by paths or flower beds. and around which will be built a low wall upon which people may sit. In the future it is envisaged that, beyond the wall, avenues of trees and shrubs will ray out from the nine entrances, each treated in a different way, with particular attention being paid to that facing towards Haifa.
The rest of the plot will be treated as park land, with shady trees and lovely flowering shrubs, so that the Temple and its surroundings will be a place of beauty for the joy of all who visit it.
Announce Identification of Remains of Cousin of the Báb[edit]
(Cable from the Hands of the Faith Residing in the Holy Land)[edit]
ANNOUNCE WITH PROFOUND GRATITUDE FULFILLMENT ONE (OF THE) MOST DIFFICULT GOALS (OF THE) BELOVED GUARDIAN’S WORLD CRUSADE, IDENTIFICATION (OF THE) REMAINS (OF THE) COUSIN (OF THE) BAB, SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER (TO) CEMETERY, EVIDENCE (OF THE) UNFAILING GRACE OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH VOUCHSAFED (TO) HIS FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS. SHARE JOYFUL NEWS (WITH) HANDS (AND) NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES.
(Signed) HANDSFAITH
June 15, 1959
Port Victoria Bahá’ís Achieve Incorporation of Assembly by Special Legislation[edit]
In June 1956, the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Port Victoria, Seychelles, adopted a subsidiary one-year plan, one of the goals of which was to incorporate the Assembly. This was ratified by the National Assembly and a letter of introduction and a copy of local assembly by-laws was sent from the National Assembly lawyers to a Mr. Thomas, Barrister-at-law, Port Victoria, who subsequently took a great deal of personal interest in the project. From the moment that Mr. Thomas was briefed in January 1957, it was clear that nothing less than a special ordinance would need to be passed by the Legislative Council through the Government of Seychelles. This became known as “An Ordinance for the Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Port Victoria (Seychelles).”
Mr. Thomas, a former Attorney-General of Seychelles, discussed the proposed bill with the Attorney General, consulted appropriate government officials, and drew up a draft based on the American by-laws approved by the beloved Guardian. Literature was freely given to interested officials. The initial fees for Mr. Thomas were raised by local contribution.
An effort was made to introduce a clause into the bill to facilitate the incorporation of other local assemblies, as and when they were formed. Simultaneously, investigations were made into the recognition of the Bahá’í Marriage Certificate.
In the early stages, it was Mr. Thomas’ desire to introduce a very short, simple bill, similar in form to that incorporating the Roman Catholic Mission, and omitting the main Bahá’í beliefs and the nature of the local relationship to the National Assembly and the Guardian. Mr. Thomas argued that these details could go in the by-laws and need not form part of the legislation, and by introducing a short bill along the lines already accepted by the Legislative Council, a quick and easy passage through all its stages might easily result.
The Local Assembly could not accept this, and insisted on the inclusion in the ordinance itself of the major tenets of the Faith. Again and again the lawyer maintained his arguments that lengthy legislation, which included matters of doctrine and administration, would meet with difficulties in Legislative Council and that once a law was passed recognizing the assembly as being the corporate body of a religious community, the assembly would be empowered to administer its affairs according to Bahá’í belief and practice. All the details were finally included in the draft Bill, which had become a most comprehensive document.
Petition Addressed to Governor[edit]
On May 25, 1957, a petition was addressed to His Excellency the Governor of Seychelles, praying for legislation. The petition noted the worldwide nature of the Faith and its principle of obedience to Government; it referred to the Canadian incorporation and the incorporation of the religious bodies in Seychelles. With the petition was a draft of the Bill and two volumes of The Bahá’í World.
Due to the comprehensive nature of the bill and the then strong Roman Catholic composition of Legislative Council, opposition was expected. Difficulty was, however, even encountered in approaching a member of Legislative Council to sponsor the Bill.
The Governor accepted the petition and passed it to
the Attorney General who acknowledged receipt, saying that it was receiving the attention of the Government. On June 1, 1951, the Governor wrote through the
Acting Secretary to the Government, informing the
Local Assembly that the bill should be introduced by[Page 4]
an unofficial member as a Private Bill, and also
stating that no similar legislation had been considered
by Legislative Council under its present constitution,
which dated from 1948.
Then followed a delay of some months due to the disolution of Legislative Council and re-election. Only after the new Legislative Council was duly elected was a serious study made of the standing rules of Legislative Council as they applied to Private Bills. The Clerk of the Council then demanded a fresh petition signed by the nine members of the Local Assembly. “Leave to proceed” with the bill was presented to the first meeting of the tenth session of the Fourth Legislative Council on August 6, 1957. All members of the Council, elected and nominated, were present and the hall was filled to capacity with notable citizens, heads of the Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Seventh-Day Adventist missions, diplomats, and senior government officials. The promoters of the bill were allowed to proceed after the petition was read and a majority voted in favor. There were a few abstensions and but one negative vote at this stage.
Shortly after this, the bill was published in a “Notice of Motion” sent to the Clerk of the Council. About the same time, a certain well-known citizen was speaking against the Faith and branding the Bahá’í community as communists.
The Attorney suggested that, as the Faith was not known among the members of Legislative Council, they might all be given an authoritative statement. A number of copies of The Faith of Bahá’u’lláh by Shoghi Effendi were sent for this purpose.
When the proceedings of the meeting of Legislative Council were published on August 10 in Le Seychellois, the opposition of Dr. (Mrs.) stevenson Derhomme was recorded in detail. This prominent lady, wife of the French Consul, is also chairman of the Victoria District Council, and by her opposition gave much publicity to the petition and to the Faith. Great public interest was aroused and this was the first time since its introduction to the islands that the Faith was mentioned in the press.
The bill was printed and published by August 21, 1957, and subsequently printed three times in the official Gazette.
Preamble to the Bill Required[edit]
The first major difficulty was encountered when the bill was passed for the first reading, but before its second reading the Government had a special meeting to consider it, and it was found that according to Standing Rules and Orders of Legislative Council and traditions of Parliamentary procedure, such a bill required a preamble defending every clause of the bill and giving comprehensive information about the doctrines, beliefs, and intents of the Faith. The Government also objected to the clause which facilitated the incorporation by proclamation of each local assembly that in future came into existence.
While this delay occassioned considerable apprehension in the hearts of the Seychelles friends, it is seen in retrospect as a most advantageous step, for the preamble, which was then drafted and added to the bill, and which had to be published in full, drew added attention to the tenets of the Faith.
As the preamble raised some technical discussions within Government itself, it was not possible to introduce the amended Bill to the December session of Legislative Council, and it was deferred until March 1958, and was again published as a supplement to the Gazette.
First National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of
Austria, formed at Riḍván 1959. Front Row: Johanna
von Werthern, Franz Pollinger, Bertha Matthisen, and
Leopoldine Heilinger. Back Row: Dr. Mehdi Varqá,
Gunther Hang, Ursula Kohler, Dr. Masoud Berdjis,
and Dr. Aminolláh Ahmedzadeh.
During June 1958, the attorney, Mr. Thomas, visited
Kampala and was entertained at tea by the National
Assembly secretary, a personal contact which helped
to clarify some details.
Legislative Council did not meet again until September. The bill was read but did not get through a second reading. Dr. (Mrs.) Stevenson Delhomme made the only speech—it was a most misleading statement—and a five to five vote was taken. The President did not exercise his vote, so the bill failed to get a majority.
The Local Assembly then went into action: a) the National Assembly was advised, with a copy of Mrs. Delhomme’s speech; b) letters of thanks were written to those who voted in favor; c) a letter was sent to the Governor, answering all Mrs. Delhomme’s allegations, quoting extensively from Bahá’í Writings, and seeking advice from His Excellency as to the next step.
The letter to the National Assembly was delayed in the post, but the following actions were taken: a) to call on the Local Assembly to take no step without consultation with the attorney; b) to ask the British National Assembly to Write to the Governor; c) ourselves to write an appeal to the Governor: d) to send a statement on the Faith for submission to the local newspaper.
Again, due to postal delay, the advice to the Local Assembly was late. They had already received a reply from the Government, dated October 22, which asked for such information as names and dates of arrival of first pioneers to Seychelles; total numbers in Seychelles and what proportion were local people: relationship to the National Assembly and what disabilities or inconveniences were suffered by the community as a result of its not being legally incorporated.
The Local Assembly replied in detail, and on November 29, the Governor replied through his private secretary “that the legal position has now been con-
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the
Ibenon Peninsula for 1959-1960. From Row: Ramon
Escartin, Sara Tiffin, Luis Ortuño, and Virginia Orbison. Back Row: I. Torrella, J. Lopez Monge, Charles
Ioas, Angelo Carniero, and Francisco Salas.
sidered most carefully” and should they wish to present a new petition, His Excellency would give his
consent to its being passed to Legislative Council. The
letter also contained the information that unless the
bill was presented within a few days it would miss
the new session of Legislative Council and there would
not be another new session until December 1959.
New Petition Submitted[edit]
Within three days the Local Assembly had submitted the new petition, which was read in its entirety by the Clerk to a fully attended Council. It was carried by a seven to five majority, and was published again in the official Gazette.
In the meantime the local newspaper, owned by the same Delhomme family that opposed the bill, refused to publish the statement sent by the National Assembly. An approach was then made to the Governor to request that he might, in view of the long delay, use his powers as President of the Council and take the bill through all its three readings at the next meeting of the Council. The Council Secretariat agreed to meet the cost of publishing the Bill from the original deposit.
During December, a certain member of Legislative Council, Douglas Bailey, O.B.E. J.P., contacted the believers in Port Victoria, saying that he had been on holiday in Great Britain when the bill was first submitted and would do all he could to see that it now became law. On January 19, the bill was read for the first time and Mr. Bailey moved that the Standing Rules be suspended in order to permit the bill’s being read a second time. Speaking to this point, Mr. Bailey said that he considered it neither fair nor just to delay a second reading when the bill had come before the Council again eighteen months after receipt of the original petition. The motion was carried six to four, with the Secretary to the Government abstaining.
Mr. Bailey then addressed the Council, reviewing the history of the bill and how His Excellency had approved official members voting as they felt inclined, seeing no objection to the bill on grounds of policy. He then criticised the objection of the only member who ever spoke against the bill, saying “I completely fail to see how any of these objections carry any weight at all on grounds of public policy.” Following with a brief statement on the aims of the Faith and listing the basic principles, he continued with an appeal to the members to keep aloof from prejudices and not deny the Bahá’ís the privileges already granted in law to the Roman Catholics and Seventh-Day Adventist missions. He ended his thousand-word speech "We, with our individual beliefs, can surely afford to be tolerant in this particular matter; let us be so, please, and so allow this Faith legal status in Seychelles.”
The motion was most ably supported by H. C. Gontier who, in rising to second it, referred to what he had studied in The Bahá’í World 1950-54, and called upon members to observe the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, quoting articles 17 and 18. The voting was than seven to four in favor, the bill was read a second time, and then referred to a Select Committee.
The paper Le Seychellois, having refused to print a statement on the Faith, was obliged to publish a verbatim report of Legislative Council proceedings.
The Select Committee met four times, made certain amendments with which the Local Assembly representatives concurred, but could not reach a decision on the most important Clause 3, which outlined some of the basic tenets of the Faith. While one faction wanted to see it deleted and the material drafted into the by-laws. the other side supported the Bahá’í view that it was of the greatest importance. The Committee therefore referred the amended bill, with the Clause still included (as Clause 4), to the Council. Order of the Day, No. 4 of 1959, February 27, 1959, carried the item: “The Secretary to Government to move that the bill entitled Bill of an Ordinance for the Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Victoria, Seychelles, be referred to a Committee of the Whole House.”
In presenting the report of the Select Committee, the Attorney-General, speaking against the inclusion of the controversial Clause 4, said: “No legislation is required for any religious body to administer its own religious affairs. This is an internal matter for the religious body itself. Legislating for such religious matters would create a precedent and would place the religion concerned in the category of a state religion, a kind of established church. Evidence has been given before the Select Committee that legislation is not necessary for the formation of a Spiritual Assembly but that legislation is necessary for the Assembly to have certain legal rights. As a matter of fact the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Victoria has been in existence for four years and has been functioning during that time as a religious body without legislation.
“Before closing my remarks, in fairness to the promoters of the bill and as Chairman of the Select Committee, I should draw the attention of this House to the statement made by the promoters when Clause 4 was being discussed in Select Committee. They said they would not find it possible to carry on with the bill if Clause 4 were deleted.”
Mr. Bailey Replies to Attorney General[edit]
In reply to the Attorney-General Mr. Bailey, in a speech of almost 900 words, demonstrated the reasons why all Clauses should be left in the bill, and that already the Bahá’ís had made big concessions. He drew attention to the worldwide pattern of local assembly incorporation, and said:
“Paragraph (e) restricts the powers and jurisdictions of a local assembly as granted in the revealed writings of the Founders of the Faith; its importance for inclusion is self-evident.
“Paragraphs (1) and (g) are equally important as they empower the local assembly to do all necessary, proper, and advantageous acts to promote the complete and successful administration of the corporate body, and at the same time it is binding on it that the spiritual and administrative relationship with its National Assembly of East Africa must be maintained, as this is a guiding principle of Bahá’í administration all over the World.
“From this it is clear that Clause 4 not at all only expresses beliefs and doctrines, but essential administrative principles, and it is very necessary to have this clause in the law so that the purposes and objects of the Faith shall be known to all, and not merely to appear as it would in the objects and reasons of a normal government-sponsored Bill given at the end only, and to be lost sight of when such a Bill becomes law.”
This he summarized by quoting the Guardian in the passage: “To disassociate the administrative principles of the Cause from the purely spiritual and humanitarian teachings would be tantamount to a mutilation of the body of the Cause, a separation that can only result in the disintegration of its component parts, the extinction of the Faith itself.”
After this it was put to the vote that Clause 4 stand as part of the bill and the voting was six to five in favor. All other clauses of the bill were voted upon and carried; the bill was read a third time and carried by seven votes to four.
Two views of the group at the ceremony dedicating the Temple site of Alaska, located site of Anchorage. This service was reported in BAHÁ’Í NEWS for July in the Alaska Convention story.
It then required but submission to the Secretary of
State for the Colonies in London and signature by Her
Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Port Victoria wrote: “We believe that this is the first time in Bahá’í history that, in the case of a local assembly, incorporation has taken place through specific legislation.”
The National Assembly cabled Haifa, and receiving the following reply:—“CONVEY FRIENDS SEYCHELLES QUOTE DELIGHTED IMPORTANT VICTORY APPRECIATE STEADFAST SERVICES.”
The crowning joy was the receipt by the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Seychelles Ordinance No. 12 of 1959 dated April 27, 1959. “An Ordinance for the incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Victoria, Seychelles,” accompanied by Proclamation No. 13 of 1959 from the Governor of Seychelles.
American Hands of Cause Fill Vacancy on Auxiliary Board for Protection[edit]
With the lamentable passing of Jesma Herbert, a vacancy was created on the Auxiliary Board for Protection, and the Hands announce that Amoz E. Gibson has been appointed.
The American Hands take the occasion to express their grateful appreciation of Mrs. Herbert's years of ardent and fruitful service as a member of that Board. Her services to the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, indeed, over a long period, evoke admiration and esteem on the part of the entire American Bahá’í community.
Mr. Gibson, known to and admired by Convention delegates and visitors during recent years, has been pioneering among the Indians in Arizona.
—CORINNE TRUE
WILLIAM SEARS
HORACE HOLLEY
Second All-Indian Assembly Formed in Jankohuyo, Bolivia
Even the llamas decided to make friends with Athos
Costas, on his teaching trip. Bolivian Indian believers
depend upon the llamas for their livelihood.
IN THE village of Jankohuyo in Cancha Blanca (White
Field), Departmento Potosi, Bolivia, the community of twenty-four believers elected their first local
assembly on April 21, 1959.
About two weeks previously, from April 3 to 6, all work had been suspended for intensive study on the spiritual and administrative aspects of the Faith, given by Athos Costas, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay; and by Estanislau Alvarez, chairman of the National Indian Teaching Committee. That Indian school had confirmed twelve more believers, with three villages represented: Sakaka, Huancota, and Jankohuyo. The visitors left promising to return for the formation of the first local assembly there.
The story of the election of that assembly tells of a race against time and obstacles, As Sr. Alvarez had to return to La Paz for the election there, Sr. Costas was left alone, with no knowledge of either the Quecha or Aymara Indian languages, to try to return by the prescribed date.
His account is one of endless frustrations. Briefly, his return trip started on April 15, as he waited vainly for a whole day in Orure for an interpreter and guide. He had to start out alone the next morning on the only bus which would take him partway to get him there on time.
Staying overnight at Sakaka, again no guide could be found, nor anyone who knew Spanish, so early the next morning he started off for Chire, where he left the bus with knapsack on back to cross unknown mountains and terrain. That day he walked eighty kilometers, climbing and descending mountains until it was pitch-black night. An Indian child he had tried to talk to had burst into frightened tears at the stranger: an Indian youth had been able to say only “Yes, no, good morning” in Spanish; later several Indian farm laborers at the foot of a mountain through gestures gave contradictory and confused directions.
From midnight to daybreak he tried to sleep on the ground between two mountains, restlessly tossing while worrying about his mission, and recalling the warning that scorpions, poisonous snakes, and wild foxes abounded in that zone. He can still visualize himself precariously clinging to the mountainside as a condor circled and swooped about him as he called out The Greatest Name for protection.
Finally, at dawn, he realized that he had gone almost ln circles for days on his solitary trip, and he decided to go back to Sakaka for help.
Group of Indian believers of Sakaka, Bolivia. At the
right is Crisologo Montesinos, an eighty-year-old rural
school teacher.
By then he was extremely fatigued, and had forced
himself almost beyond his strength. He later said:
“All during that trip, while eating, sleeping, and walk[Page 8]
ing, in the depth of my being was raised a constant
supplication to God to help me in this service to His
Cause.”
His story includes the finding, briefly, of an Indian
believer, Patricio, whom he lost sight of in the milling
groups on market day in Sakaka. He had walked for
hours around the plaza, hoping to catch a glimpse of
Patricio crossing the central square. That night, a Sr.
Coca offered to accompany him, after having previously refused.
On the next morning, April 20, they started out with three little burros in tow. Again came the same mountain climbing, and finally on a height Jankohuyo could be seen far below. “My emotions were indescribable,” Sr. Costas related.
With a joyous welcome, the believers suspended all work for further study classes on the administrative and spiritual bases of the Faith, as well as details on the character of Bahá’í elections. Then, with sacred readings and prayers, the election of their first assembly took place an atmosphere full of spirit and emotion.”
To add to the happiness of that date, two Indians from Urimarca were present, who asked that a Bahá’í’ would come to give intensive study classes in their village, “as there were eighty Indians there who wished to enter the Faith.”
A little eighty-year-old rural school teacher, Crisologo Montesinos, had been waiting eagerly to enroll in the Faith after having used Bahá’í prayers daily from Communion With God, in which he said he had found “his highest inspiration.” He was the only person in the Sakaka region who could read.
The National Assembly secretary’s report closed with these words: “Those Indians are highly humble, affectionate, and spiritual. Again, and even more so than before, I can say that Bolivia is like Africa . . . detached pioneers are needed, bestowing all their love and faith, their Bahá’í knowledge, their human understanding, and their loving consideration.”
During the coming year, Sr. Alvarez will live among and teach the Indians for a five-month period, while Andrés Jachakollo will devote the entire year as a pioneer among his Indian brothers. A young Indian believer, Sabino Ortega, chosen by the outstanding Indian pioneers themselves, will spend several months for teacher training in Santiago, Chile, and will return to teach the children of these villages, as well as diffuse the Faith in Bolivia, a country that has over two million Indians.
—ELLEN SIMS
National Assembly Members for Australia, Burma, Italy-Switzerland Announced[edit]
Officers and members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Australia for the Bahá’í Year 116 are: H. C. Featherstone, chairman; W. J. Rodwell, vice-chairman; N. P. L. Walker, secretary; N. Bluett, treasurer; and P. J. Khan, J. Heggie, Miss T. I. Perks, P. B. Bird, and E, S. G. Bowes.
On April 25, 1959, the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Burma was elected as follows: U Ba Sein of Toungoo, president; Dew Hla Hla of Mandalay, vice-president; s. G Murtaza Ali of Rangoon, secretary; U Ko Ko Gyi of Rangoon, assistant secretary; Sháh Alam Chowhuri of Rangoon, treasurer; U. Doolman of Daidanaw; U Hamid of Rangoon; Daw Thoung Khin of Mandalay; and U Thein Fe of Daidanaw. A photograph of this newly formed Assembly appears in the July issue of BAHÁ’Í NEWS on page 11. All nineteen of the elected delegates attended the convention, as well as a large number of Bahá’ís from the different centers in Burma.
Members of the Italo-Swiss National Spiritual Assembly, elected at the Seventh Annual National Convention at Bern held on April 25-26, 1959, include Dr. Ugo Giachery, Fritz Schaer, Dr. Alexander Bausani, Anna Kunz, Fritz Semle, Dr. Walter Ott, Mona Haenni, Elsa Steinmetz, and Marian Little.
Left: Study class of Bolivian Indian believers, led by Athos Costas and an interpreter. Right: First Indian
Bahá’í School of Sakaka, Huanacota, and Jankohuyo villages, held on April 3 to 5, 1359. Holding the sign are Andrés Jachakollo, Indian pioneer, and Athos Costas, National Assembly secretary.
Bahá’í Observers Participate in Inter-American Indian Congress[edit]
Fourth Inter-American Indian Congress in full session, showing chiefs of the delegations in front, and other delegates and observers at the rear.
THE Fourth Inter-American Indian Congress was
held in the city of Guatemala May 16-25, 1959,
with delegates and observers from the United States,
Central and South America, and the Antilles, totaling
approximately 150 persons, and including directors of
various National Indian Institutes, representatives of
the Inter-American Institute in Mexico, social workers,
anthropologists, language experts, and prominent Indians from Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the
United States.
In the latter delegation were Paul Jones and Clarence Wesley, chiefs of the Navajo and Apache tribes, respectively. Educators and representatives of international organizations, such as O.I.T. and UNESCO, also participated. The Bahá’í observers were the only official representatives of any religious group.
The Government of Guatemala acted as host, and President Ydígoras officially opened the congress and sponsored a reception.
Three official Bahá’í observers (Mrs. Louise Caswell, Mrs. Dee Worth Lamb, and Artemus Lamb) were privileged to attend through the sympathetic bond for the Faith which had been established with the Director of the Indian Institute of Guatemala, Juan de Dios Rosales. He has devoted indefatigable energies in dedicated, loving service to the Indians, and is deeply searching for ways to further their interests. One other Bahá’í of Guatemala, Maximo Enrique Chavez, also acted as observer, but for the University of San Carlos, Guatemala.
Deeply aware of their great privilege and responsibility, the Bahá’í observers adopted the policy of free and friendly association with all participants in the Congress, without making mention of the Faith except when asked directly. The Indians obviously felt the Bahá’í spirit, voluntarily seeking them out constantly, as naturally as children seek their father.
The atmosphere of the fourth congress was one of unusually deep sincerity, abnegation, and a sincere searching for ways to right the wrongs suffered by the Indians. There was a generally widespread disquieting realization of the defects of our so-called “civilization,” and recognition of the noble qualities of our long-suffering brothers, and their great spiritual and moral contributions to past civilizations when given their opportunity. Both Indians and non-Indians appeared to be making great sacrifices for the congress. Many times the thought was expressed that what was needed most of all was a correction of the “non-Indians.”
Left: Three Bahá’í observers at the Inter-American Indian Congress, with the Director and Secretary of the Guatemalan Indian Institute. Right: Ignacio Salis, delegate from Panama, and General Secretary for the twenty-three Indian chiefs on the San Ellis Islands. He has offered aid in requesting permission to introduce the Bahá’í Faith to the San Blas Indians.
The observers established very friendly, even intimate, relations with the San Blas Indians, who
offered their assistance in every way possible, and
gave suggestions as to the proper way to introduce
the Bahá’í Faith to their twenty-three Indian tribes.
Ofiicial permission must be obtained from their governing council for the entry of any religious teaching,
and through invitations issued to visit them, it is hoped[Page 10]
to make this official presentation in the very near
future through the coordinated efforts of the National
Spiritual Assembly of Central America and the Panamanian Teaching Committee.
Another contact is a member of the National Assembly (governmental body) of Panamá; another is a member of the Chiriquí tribe, and most anxious to know the Bahá’ís in his locality. It was possible to give the Message to both Mr. Jones, the Navajo chief, and to Mr. Wesley, the Apache chief. Mr. Jones was also given a brochure in English-Navajo. Both asked many questions and were very impressed with the fact that there are no priests, pastors, or paid workers in the Bahá’í Faith.
The Bahá’í pamphlet in Maya-Quiché Indian dialect and Spanish was also presented to the two Indian representatives from Quezaltenango, at their request.
The Director of the Indian Institute of Bolivia, after hearing an exposition of the Bahá’í Faith at luncheon one day, said, “I want to join this movement.”
The Secretary of the Indian Institute of Guatemala said, after having read some literature: “You are giving me a problem. My entire thinking is being completely revolutionized.”
A most careful follow-up is being arranged with all the names, either through their respective national spiritual assemblies, or the teaching committees of their countries. In Guatemala itself a great number of people of capacity are interested, including both the Director and Secretary of the Indian Institute, who are actively reading and studying.
There have been three former Inter-American Congresses, the first held in Patzcuaro, Mexico; the second in La Páz, Bolivia; the third in Cuzco, Peru. The next, or fifth, will be held in Ecuador in 1963. This fourth congress, held in Guatemala, is the first in which Bahá’ís have participated.
To the observers, the spirit of Bahá’u’lláh is obviously working on a large scale in the Americas, and a new era of understanding and collaboration in the work with the Indians appears to have opened up with this fourth congress.
Third Benelux Convention at Brussels Stresses Importance of Deeds[edit]
Fifty-one Bahá’ís from Holland, Luxembourg, and Belgium assembled in the Conference Hall of the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds, Brussels, for the Third Benelux Convention, April 25-26, 1959. Roll-call of the delegates revealed thirteen present. The secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly received votes from the six absent delegates, making a total of nineteen votes.
The Convention chairman introduced our two Auxiliary Board Members, Louis Henuzet (Teaching) and Jan Sijsling (Protection). Louis Henuzet, addressing the Convention, called our attention to the words of Dr. Ugo Giachery spoken at the meeting of the Hands of the Cause and the Auxiliary Board Members, held in Brussels last December.
Indian believers of the Peigan Indian Reserve, Black-foot Confederacy, Alberta, Canada. Front Row: Maggie
Prairie Chicken, Rose Knowlton, Louise White Cow,
and Agnes Yellow Face. Back Row: Councillor Samson
Knowlton, Ben White Cow, Sam Yellow Face, and Allan
Prairie Chicken. Allan and Maggie Prairie Chicken
were the first declarants of the Blackfoot nation in
March 1958. Teaching on this Peigan Reserve was reported in BAHÁ’Í NEWS for July.
“The Hands of the Cause,” said Dr. Giachery, “are
very concerned over the progress of the Global Crusade. The year 1959 is a very crucial one. This Cause
must go forward and it can only go forward because
of the sacrifice of every believer. The Cause of Bahá’u’lláh will go down if we fail. This brings us to one essential point—Individual Teaching. In order to
achieve the goals set for the Global Crusade, 394 assemblies must be established before 1962.”
Continuing, Mr. Henuzet said that for the Benelux countries the goal is three national spiritual assemblies by 1963, one each for Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg. “This is a ‘divine task’ we have before us. We, with our weaknesses and frailty, must accomplish it. It depends on us. We must create a “divine institution.” If we are not able to form these national spiritual assemblies, then the Universal House of Justice will not be established and the Cause will be retarded because of our failure. Our next Convention must be a convention, not of promises, but of action and results. This thought we must keep in mind every day throughout the coming year.
Jan Sijsling, in addressing the Convention, pointed out that modern man is no longer interested in words but in deeds. There is much quarreling and gossiping and so much poor organization to be found everywhere. Bahá’ís must be an example. There is protection for all of us, and that is in the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. From these teachings we can learn the great lesson of self-discipline. We can improve our own behavior if we faithfully follow the laws and ordinances given by Bahá’u’lláh. The results will soon come, and then we shall begin to attract others so that next year there will be many more delegates from new assemblies. If we truly love our Faith we shall protect it.
Hearing the magnificent message from the Hands of the Cause of God was the high point of the Convention Mr. Henuzet then summarized this Message and emphasized its important parts.
In summing-up the discussion on teaching work, Jan Sijsling said that it is easy to obtain material goals, but much more difficult to achieve those of a spiritual
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Benelux Countries for 1959-1960. Front Row: Honor Kempton;
Lottie Tobias; Lea Nys, secretary; Jan Sijsling, vice-chairman. Back Row: Robert Van Lith, assistant treasurer; Claude Levy; Louis Henuzet, chairman; Pierre
Bram, treasurer; Ben Levy, assistant secretary.
nature. We need more faith. We need financial support. The plan given in the message from the Hands of
the Cause is quite drastic. It is interesting to note the
natural capacities of these two nations, Persia and the
United States. The Persians are giving financial support. It is natural for them to give and give, they have
such generous hearts. The Americans, in turn, are
asked to give the work.
Having recently returned from a business trip which included the United States, Mr. Sijsling observed that the American Bahá’ís seemed more open, more earnest; for most of them the Bahá’í Faith is their life, it is natural for them to pioneer. Speaking of organization and teaching, both are necessary, said Jan, but leave those who have the Capacity to teach free to do this important work and do not bog them down with Committee work.
The closing remarks of the chairman, Madame Lea Nys, brought clearly to us all our great responsibility as Bahá’ís. In the Bible, said Madame Nys, there is a parable explaining that when the master of a piece of land was going away he asked his inheritors to take care of the land and make it prosperous. We as Bahá’ís have our own Master, Bahá’u’lláh, Who has entrusted the whole earth to His disciples so that they bring prosperity to it. His dominion is the soil of the hearts. Therefore we are inheritors of this earth Moreover Bahá’u’lláh has left to us the “sceptre du pouvoir”—His Covenant and His World Order. We have inherited also His Crown of Glory with all its jewels and pearls, His principles and wonderful teachings. We are more privileged than any other inheritors of the past because we have those three things which make one whole great future of this earth. We cannot leave this precious heritage without fruit.
Bahá’ís attending the Third Convention of the Benelux Countries at Brussels, Belgium, on April 25-25, 1959.
The powers on high, the three great figures of our
Faith, the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and our
beloved Guardian are watching us from the Abhá King[Page 12]
I2
dom. What could bring more happiness to them and to
our devoted Hands of the Cause, who are making every effort in the Holy Land and all over the world to
help us, than for them to witness this great spiritual
conquest of the hearts of humanity thereby making
a better and more harmonious world.
—HONOR KEMPTON
Latin Believers Arise to Pioneer at Central American Convention[edit]
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, was the scene for a moving and forward-looking Ninth Annual Convention for the Bahá’ís of Central America, Mexico, and Panama on April 23 to 27, 1959.
Twenty-three delegates and numerous believers representing Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico met in what might well be the commencement of a dearly-needed, fourth-phase dramatic surge of activities and victories in this World Crusade.
The recent Visit of Hand of the Cause Dr. Ugo Giachery had deeply prepared the believers to face the problems and tasks before them. His presence had evidently left a deep impression and had taught a valuable lesson, for both the spirit and fruits of the convention made it a truly unprecedented one.
Following a deeply-consecrated devotional period, the convention got under way with the election of Esteban Canales as chairman, and Salomon Escalante as secretary. Of outstanding interest was the reading of a letter by Dr. Giachery which defined the needs of the territory, and served as a stimulus to guide the deliberations of the convention.
Mrs. Katherine McLaughlin, member of the Auxiliary Board and secretary of the Western Hemisphere Teaching Committee, proved invaluable with illuminating commentaries regarding the contents of the letter, and, indeed, throughout the convention. Essentially this letter underscored the need for the Latin believers to arise and take the initiative, and that the spirit of love in the Faith must dominate administrative activities as well as our own lives.
Post-Convention Conference sponsored by the Fresno,
Calif., Assembly on May 10, 1959.
Bahá’ís of Saigon, Nha-Be, and Phuoc-Long, South
Vietnam, celebrating the anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb rm May 23, 1959, at the Saigon Center.
Much of the consultation centerd around three points:
(1) Individual conversion, (2) Multiplication of centers,
and (3) Contributions to the Fund, which would enable
the believers to aid in the Temple construction in
Frankfurt, Kampala, and Sydney, and to meet the
needs here.
A dramatic call was directed to the native believers to arise as pioneers now that Latin America must play so vital a role in the Divine Plan. Responding to this call were seven dedicated Latin friends, a very moving fulfillment of one of the beloved Guardian’s dearest hopes, that the Latins would arise spontaneously.
Upon reading the message directed by the Hands of the Faith in the Holy Land to all the conventions, it was learned that the seven countries of this territory must form their national assemblies in 1962.
The emergency goals here are the establishing of four local assemblies in Honduras, and one in Nicaragua. No existing assembly can be lost, and all those lost must be re-established. Should one country of the territory fail to achieve its national assembly, the others could form theirs. This creates a feeling of “all for one and one for all,” and keeps our vision from being limited only to our own country.
The newly elected National Spiritual Assembly consists of these members and officers: Esteban Canales, chairman; Luis Bouche, secretary; James Facey, treasurer; and Harold Murray, Artemus Lamb, Salomon Escalante, Armando Fonseca Duval, Edris Rice-Wray, and Donald Witzel.
With all the believers returned home renewed, resolved, and unified in a measure that exceeded expectations, it was felt that the greatest tangible result was the touching arising of such dedicated Latin friends to pioneer, some at great personal sacrifice.
Twenty-Three States Report Successful Race Amity Day Meetings[edit]
Speaker’s panel at the Race Amity Day meeting sponsored by the Duluth, Minn., Bahá’ís: William Maupins, representing the NAACP of Duluth; Dr. Robert Wolff, Bahá’í moderator; Francis LeQuier, American Indian; Mrs. Rodney Larson, Hawaiian; and Curt Ewing, Negro Bahá’í of Excelsior, Minn.
RACE AMITY Day meetings on June 14, 1959. have been reported from Florida. Delaware, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Idaho, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Utah, Oklahoma, Maryland, Kentucky, Colorado, California, Ohio, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, New York, and Washington.
The Bahá’í Interracial Teaching Committee states that, in almost every report received, the publicity (displays, radio, television, and newspaper coverage) and the Race Amity Day meetings were excellent.
Public meetings, generally, did not bring as great an attendance as did such functions as teas, dinners, and picnics. One community reported that last year seventy-five people attended a dinner, and this year the meeting, without a dinner, only drew forty-five persons.
In communities where invitations were sent out there seemed to be a greater response in attendance. The warm, personal, and human aspects seemed to bring more response. A great many oi the seekers seem to be coming from the college level. Wilmington and Brandywine Hundred, Del, Assemblies reported that they held two follow-up meetings which brought forty-nine people. An isolated believer (a mother or five children) in South Dakota could not hold a meeting. but prepared a display which was shown in the public library for two weeks, and she writes that she uses baby sitters of different races in order that her children may know and love all races.
In some areas considerable progress was noted with respect to the increase or Negroes and non-Bahá’ís who attended these meetings. Some of the topics used were: “Interrelated worlds of God,” “Race Amity, the Key to Social Justice,” “Foundations of Racial Amity,” “Race Unity: America’s Security,” and “Race Unity, The Pathway to World Peace.” We were especially gratified to note that there were so many of the youth present in most of these meetings.
Picnic following the panel discussion program for Race Amity Day in Duluth, Minn. The gathering included thirty-two guests, among them Negroes, American Indians, Filipinos, Japanese, and Hawaiians.
Bahá’ís in Tennessee are very pleased with the Negro response to the Faith and to the Race Amity meetings. Nashville held a panel discussion led by a Bahá’í and a non-Bahá’í. Fifty-two persons were present, and twenty-nine were non-Bahá’ís. The topic was “World Brotherhood—Spiritual Ideal or Expediency?”. There was a large turnout of Negroes, which was particularly encouraging. Sixteen people asked for further study, and this was followed up by this community. It is especially encouraging to read this kind of report coming from the south.
Louisville, Ky., reports that they had two speakers, one white and one Negro, who have traveled together, and they feel that more of this should be done to promote Race Amity in the south. Charlotte, N.C., had an unusually good response in the number of Negros and youth who attended their meeting, held in a Negro church where they showed slides, “Palestine, Holy Land of Four Faiths.” They were so well received that they have been asked to show the slides to the Bible Classes in this church.
Boise, Idaho, held a picnic dinner which attracted fifty souls. Their program was brief, though effective in terms of interest and contacts. A prayer was read, then words from the Bahá’í World Faith; and some of the words of the beloved Guardian.
The friends of Quincy, Ill., held a two-day meeting which drew an unusually large group of non-Bahá’ís. A travelog was shown on the first day, which drew a crowd oil 120 people, 100 of whom were non-Bahá’ís. On the second day a Youth Symposium and picnic were held, with a total of fifty people, and thirty were non-Bahá’ís. This kind of response is most heart-warming to us all.
Fargo, N. Dak., Bahá’ís observed Race Amity Day with a talk at the Bahá’í Center by a visiting believer who is a teacher at the Fort Totten Indian School. Royal Oak, Mich., presented a panel discussion; speakers included John Lopez, Mexican, Ellis Brown, Negro school teacher, and Mrs. Lois Nochman, a Bahá’í. This was an inter-community meeting, with Ferndale, Oak Park, Royal Oak Township, and Royal Oak participating. Invitations were sent to a selected list by these communities.
A picnic was given by Bahá’ís of Stockton, Calif., attended by forty-seven persons. A talk by William Hathorn, member of the Stockton Assembly, stimulated a lively discussion among the guests, and their many questions were satisfactorily answered.
New York City’s observance of Race Amity Day received publicity in four newspapers that totalled over 4,000,000 circulation. The meeting, at the Bahá’í Center, attracted eighty persons, with Negro and other minority groups making up over half of the attendance.
A panel discussion was given in the YMCA hall on June 6 by the Burbank, Calif., Bahá’ís. Four faiths, Bahá’í, Jewish, Hindu, and Christian, were represented by the speakers. Over eighty persons attended this Race Amity meeting.
Taking advantage of the presence of Miss Elsie Austin in their city at the time, the Bahá’ís of St. Petersburg, Fla., moved their observance of Race Amity Day forward one week. Their report states that
Bahá’í literature rack in the Student Service
Center at the University of Florida at Gainesville.
Miss Austin addressed an audience of sixty-five on the
evening of June 2, after which the National Council
for Negro Women entertained her and the Bahá’ís at
a reception and banquet at their headquarters, The
day preceding the public meeting, Miss Austin visited
a number of Negro leaders, and was taken on a tour
of the city by the founder of the organization. Photographs were taken at the meeting for the Negro section
of the local newspaper and excerpts from her talk were
requested for incorporation in the newspaper’s report
of the meeting.
The Local Spiritual Assembly writes: “The whole period of Miss Austin’s visit was vitalizing and helped us to enlarge our understanding of and friendship with all peoples.”
—INTERRACIAL TEACHING COMMITTEE
Baha’i Press Service Reports on Publicity[edit]
The National Bahá’í Press Service, in observance of Race Amity Day, made the following promotional material available to the friends: display posters in four colors, newspaper matrices of the poster design suitable for advertising, publicity releases, and copy with layout for advertisements.
The Press Letter, several months in advance, urged the friends to observe this special event and to avail themselves of the suggestions and assistance of the Interracial Teaching Committee.
At the request of the Bahá’í Press Service, the National Reference Library Committee compiled quotations on the theme of “the oneness of mankind” suitable for reading at public Observances, and these were offered to the friends through the Press Letter.
In addition to sending releases to the Bahá’í press representatives, all leading Negro papers received copies of the releases, as well as the Associated Negro Press, the United Press International, and the Associated Press. Some 2,000 pieces of mail were handled for this event.
Bahá’ís and friends at a weekly public meeting
at the Bahá’í Center in Bangkok, Thailand, in
April 1959.
Two hundred seventy-eight Race Amity Day posters
were sold, and thirty-two Race Amity Day mats. Two
weeks after the event took place, we can report having
received publicity in twenty-eight states, representing
seventy-four communities. We have received 132 individual press items.
The total circulation was 12 million, and column inches totalled 700.
—BAHÁ’Í PRESS SERVICE
Attain First Recognition of Bahá’í Marriage In Spain[edit]
An historic victory for the Bahá’í Faith has been achieved in Spain, with the first civil registration of a Bahá’í marriage.
Every effort had been made previously by the couple, Antonio Jiminez Gutierrez and Parvin Vahid Teherani, to procure a civil marriage, as theoretically this is permissible. However, they found it impossible to attain, and went to Tangiers, Morocco, where they tried to obtain a civil marriage. Here they also failed, but had a Bahá’í marriage Ceremony which they intended to be content with, and were prepared to suffer the consequences. This marriage was performed by the Local Spiritual Assembly of Tangiers.
When they returned to Murcia, where Antonio is employed in a bank, it came to the attention of the authorities that they considered themselves married, but according to the views of the police they were living “in concubinage.”
The newly married couple then began again to make petitions for a civil registration of their marriage. There then occurred a matter of great historical importance, for after much difficulty and discussion, the authorities finally granted them permission to have the civil registration of their marriage, thus making it legal to the State, if not to the Church.
This makes the marriage of Parvin and Antonio the first case in Spain of the legal recognition and registration of a Bahá’í marriage, and is the reward of obedience and constancy in the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.
The Bahá’í’ ceremony took place on April 22, 1959, and the civil ceremony and registration took place in Murcia on May 14, 1959.
U.S. Sales Committee Members Retire from Service[edit]
Members of the Bahá’í community throughout the world who have been faithfully served for many years by Harry E. Walrath, chairman of the Bahá’í Sales Committee of the United States, will be sorry to learn that he and Mrs. Walrath have moved away from the 'l:emple area and will no longer be able to continue filling orders for ringstones and other special items handled by that committee. Two of the other members who have served almost as long have been ill for several months.
The newly-appointed committee will make every effort to give the same prompt attention to orders. Until further notice, all orders for items handled by the Bahá’í Sales Committee should be addressed as follows: Bahá’í Sales Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Ill.
—U.S. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
Plan Western Canada Summer School[edit]
A Western Canada Bahá’í Summer School will be held at Banff, Alberta, Canada, on August 23 to 30, 1959. Further information may be obtained from Miss Sylvia Plotkin, 2125 16A street SW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Bahá’í Group of Sam Neua, Laos, in April 1959.
Many Countries of the World Represented[edit]
Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Milano, Italy, formed on April 21, 1959. Front Row: Mrs. Taheré ‘Alá’í Djezzab, Mrs. Guitty Wan Houten, Mrs. Kübra Djezzab, Miss Valtellina Ferrari, and Mrs. Rahilé Saadati. Back Row: Enayatolláh Anayati, Abbass Rabbani, Housein Saadati, and Sceruddin ‘Alá’í.
First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Dehra
Dun, India, formed on April 21, 1959. Front Row: Kuldip
Singh, R. K. Manchanda, J. R. Grover, G. D. Bhatia,
and M. L. Bhatia. Back Row: K. C. Narula, S. S. Bhalla,
P. Chandra, and Sahib Ram.
First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Broward County, Fla., formed on April 21, 1959.
First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Valencia, Spain, formed on April 21, 1959.
First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Rogers,
Ark., formed on April 21, 1959.
First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Sintang, Kalimantan Barat, West Indonesian Borneo,
formed on April 21, 1959.
by Newly-Formed Local Spiritual Assemblies[edit]
First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for-med arr. April 21, 1959.
First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Antelope Judicial District, Calif., formed on April 21, 1959.
First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Phu-Xuan Nha-Be district, South Vietnam, formed on April 21, 1959.
First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Pendleton, Ore., formed April 21, 1959.
First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Tulungagung, East Java, Indonesia, formed on April 21, 1959.
First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Baton
Rouge, La., formed on April 21, 1959 Front Row:
Carolyn Galinkin, Lucille Woodruff, and Mary Leon.
Back Row: George Galinkin, Herman Perrodin, Kenneth Whitehead, Julius Leon, Charles Woodruff, and
Nassrolláh Maghji.
The Education of Youth and Our Twentieth Century Dilemma
By Habib Taherzadeh
What is education? Education means the development of human faculties through training and instruction so that the individual may be fit to lead a happy and useful life. Education has two aspects, one moral, the other intellectual.
Moral education aims at building and purifying personal character. It directs and motivates human behavior. It is the essential factor for the advancement of human evolution. It prepares the ground for acquiring spiritual perception. It is the foundation of life.
Intellectual education, on the other hand, consists of acquiring knowledge and ability to adapt ourselves to the environment in which We live. It develops and refines our mental faculty. However, it is a blind instrument. It may he applied either for construction or destruction, for the elevation of mankind or for its degradation.
That is why the prophets lay so much emphasis in their ethical teachings on the need for moral training and the refinement of human conduct. Their object is to awaken and nourish the soul within us as a prerequisite of spiritual consciousness and as a step forward towards human evolution.
Unfortunately, in our modern life little attention is paid to moral education. Parents often neglect this vital duty of character formation and feel satisfied if their children observe certain superficial manners and keep up appearances in their social life. There is no deep down moral impulse to inspire and motivate their conduct.
Much less can be expected nowadays from school teachers in the way of moral education, since they consider themselves to be solely concerned with the intellectual training of children.
Our modern education is highly secularized. It has little to offer in the way of a philosophy of life and neglects those values and abstract properties inherent in human nature. It deals entirely with the study of the sciences of inert matter and the material side of life. Consequently this systematic development of material knowledge has led, within less than a century, to the phenomenal triumph of science and technology —a thing unprecedented in human history and experience.
Today machinery on a vast and new scale has revolutionized industry, creating a world of potential plenty and comfort. We have almost abolished time and distance. Our medical science has made an enormous stride in eliminating disease and in improving public health and hygiene. Our scientists have penetrated far into the depths of space. They have discovered the stupendous power of the atom, which is now available both for beneficial and destructive application.
What effect has the impact of modern life and civilization produced on human beings? What consequences have these momentous changes in the conditions of human life brought about? Do the acquisition and employment of the fruits of industry constitute a veritable advance in the course of human evolution? What is the price demanded for all those lavish and glittering gadgets that science has placed in our eager but clumsy hands? The answer to all these questions reveals a grim reality that would sound alarming to many of us. Yet the plain fact is that the same mighty impulse which enabled us to attain to such a high level of material progress has produced a paradoxical reaction which is exerting a baneful influence on the non-material aspects of our life. It has actually tipped the scales against us, and is driving us slowly down the path of degradation, simply because we have neglected the laws of our nature, because we have lost our sense of balance, because we have ignored the fact that material progress, if unaccompanied by a corresponding development in the moral and spiritual aspects of life, will eventually prove a source of evil and lead to human degradation.
“The civilization,” is Bahá’u’lláh’s grave warning, “so often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts and sciences, will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of moderation, bring great evil upon men. . . . If carried to excess, civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as it had been of good when kept within the restraints of moderation).”
The question is: Are men really degenerating? A cursory glance at the world’s advanced communities would reveal that in spite of the enormous progress made in the field of education, the intellectual standard, the mental caliber of the masses, remains very low indeed. We notice that multitudes of modern individuals are afflicted by a mental weakness, by nervous and degenerative diseases for which there seems to be no effective cure.
Meanwhile cases of crime, robbery, violence, delinquency, immorality, lawlessness, and terrorism have assumed alarming proportions. Our arts, our music, our literature — the fairest fruits of human intellect have lost their true value and have been excessively vulgarized. Marriage ties and parental relationships, which constitute the warp and woof of human society, are being steadily relaxed. Modem people have become indifferent towards all those conceptions of decency and morality that at one time held sway over the hearts of men and directed their thoughts and actions.
All these vices, excesses, mental disorders, and disconcerting frustrations are but the outward signs of an
internal affliction — the affliction of the soul. We[Page 19]
are so hypnotized by the brilliant display of new gadgets. the vulgar attractions and pursuits of our time,
that we seldom realize that the soul within us is
atrophying, owing to insufficient nourishment.
We are being chastised for transgressing natural laws, for tresspassing the bounds of moderation. We reluctantly note that man, who had gained mastery over matter, has fallen prey to his own lower nature and become a slave to his own handiwork. This grievous situation constitutes the real dilemma of the twentieth century.
What is the outlook for the younger generation? What is the position of youth in this challenging period? They find themselves in a world out of touch with God, and out of harmony with the exigencies and problems of the new life that science and industry have thrust upon us. They find school education lacking that creative impulse which is required to guide the behaviour of the individual, and unable to give a clear conception of the role he has to play in this new world in which human power and its scope are so greatly increased. They find doctrines that are inconsistent with reason and the established facts of science.
This sad situation prompts many young people of today to cut themselves off from the idea of God and religion, and to adopt a sceptical attitude with no genuine faith at all. In vain they search around them seeking a substitute for faith to fill the void and soothe the aching soul within. They try evasive doctrines and philosophies, and pernicious ideologies, only to find them hollow and unsatisfying. They turn to scientists, statesmen, and the so-called leaders of thought for enlightenment, only to he disillusioned.
Our youth are likely to grow desperate and dissatisfied. They find no calming influence, no soul-uplifting power, to direct their steps towards lofty and constructive goals. Thus it would seem a natural consequence that their sensitive subconscious minds should revolt in protest against the perversity and hollowness of our present way of life and should seek such gratifications that will at least momentarily relieve their sense of frustration.
This is the sad fate that our decadent social system presents to youth the world over today. There is no doubt that the effect of this grievous situation on the morals and psychology of the younger generation has been catastrophic.
How are we going to tackle the problem of child education? How are we going to train our children according to those lofty standards of Bahá’í conduct set up by Bahá’u’lláh and exemplified by the life of our Master, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá? Obviously we cannot bring our children up in a sort of egg-shell. We cannot isolate them from the rest of the world, of which we are all a part. We cannot shut them off from the gay but illusive social life that flows ceaselessly at our doors. Little, too, can we expect in the way of character training from our institutions of learning.
The Bahá’í Faith regards parenthood as a divine privilege, and at the same time imposes a colossal responsibility on it that cannot be shirked on any pretext whatever. A single child whose conduct is noble, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says, is far superior to thousands of ill-mannered ones; the former would prove itself the crowning pride of a generation while the latter would be a source of shame and misery.
He further points out that this sacred and delicate task can in no wise be effectively fulfilled unless the parents set up, through the dynamic force of their own characters and conduct, through loving self-dedication, such a shining example that it will shed ample light of moral guidance on the path their children are destined to tread. This is the essence of His exhortation and constitutes the bedrock of character training.
Educators, as well as parents, ought to bear in mind that they should not remain content with gestures of morality, with a mere observance of a set of conventional codes of behaviour, which have no real value whatever. Rather they should aim at instilling noble virtues and qualities into their children’s natures, so that their thoughts and deeds, their whole attitude towards life, become the expression of the inner improvement; so that thus they may be able to lead happy lives far removed from the frivolous and sordid satisfactions of our age.
Let the following moral precepts gleaned from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá guide our steps towards the lofty goal of moral evolution, the attainment of which would usher in the Golden Age of human maturity and the dawn of Divine Civilization on this planet.:-
“The companions of God,” Bahá’u’lláh declares, “are, in this day, the lump that must leaven the peoples of the world. They must show forth such trustworthiness, such truthfulness and perseverance, such deeds and character that all mankind may profit by their example.”
“Be ye the trustees of God amongst His creatures,” He in another passage admonishes men, “and the emblems of His generosity amidst His people. Let your eye be chaste, your hand faithful, your tongue truthful, and your heart enlightened.”
“Be generous in properity,” is yet another counsel, “and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbour, and look upon him with a bright
United Nations Day[edit]
October 24, 1959[edit]
A Special Event for Proclaiming the Baha’i Faith to the Public[edit]
Sponsored by the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly
Theme:
United Nations for a United World Suggested Publicity Materials:
Press Release from Bahá’í Press Service A Pattern for Future Society from Bahá’í Publishing Trust.
Reports:
Newspaper clippings from U.S. communities are to be sent immediately to Bahá’í Press Service.
Written reports and photographs for publication in BAHÁ’Í NEWS are to be sent as soon as possible to the Bahá’í News Editorial Committee.
and friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answer to the cry of the needy, a perserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgement, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility.”
“Beware lest ye offend any heart,” is ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s admonition, “lest ye speak against anyone in his absence. Be no cause of grief to anyone. Be silent concerning the faults of others. Be kind to all men and treat your enemies as your friends. Direct your whole effort towards the happiness of those who are despondent. Bestow food upon the hungry, clothe the needy and glorify the humble. Be a cause of healing tor every sick one, a comforter for every sorrowful one, a pleasant water for every thirsty one, a heavenly table for every hungry one, a star to every horizon, a light for every lamp, a herald to everyone who yearns for the kingdom of God. Be truthful. Be hospitable. Be reverent. Be humble.”
National Bahá’í Addresses[edit]
Please Address Mail Correctly!
National Bahá’í Administrative Headquarters:[edit]
536 Sheridan Road, Wilmette, Ill.
National Treasurer:[edit]
ll2 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Ill.
Make Checks Payable to: National Bahá’í Fund[edit]
Bahá’í Publishing Trust:[edit]
110 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Ill.
Make Checks Payable to: Bahá’í Publishing Trust[edit]
Bahá’í News:[edit]
Editorial Office: 110 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Ill.
Subscription and change or address in Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Ill.
Alexandria Youth Committee Issues Impressive Bahá’í Calendar[edit]
An impressive Bahá’í calendar has again been prepared by the Youth Committee of Alexandria, Egypt, and published by the Local Spiritual Assembly.
The calendar is prefaced by an explanation of the Bahá’í calendar, adapted from Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era, printed in English and Arabic. Then follows the calendar proper, with a cleverly-conceived combination of Gregorian and Bahá’í months within a single ruled box, At the back of the calendar is a listing of all Bahá’í anniversary and Feast days, also in the English and Arabic languages.
NEWS BRIEFS[edit]
The Local Spiritual Assembly of Nagpur, India, has been registered under the government’s Societies Registration Act, thereby achieving a goal of the Ten-Year Crusade.
A member of the Birmingham, Ala., Bahá’í community has given a book review of Dr. A. Powell Davies‘ The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls before several clubs, Sunday school groups, and other organizations. Bahá’ís will find the Scrolls themselves shed much light on pre-Christian Palestine, and show close parallels with pre-Bahá’í Persia.
Calendar of Events[edit]
FEASTS[edit]
August 20 — Asmá’ (Names)
September 8 — ‘Izzat (Might)
U.S. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY MEETINGS[edit]
September 4, 5, 6, 7
Baha’i House of Worship[edit]
Visiting Hours[edit]
Weekdays
10:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. (Entire building)
7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. (Auditorium only)
Sundays and Holidays
10:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. (Entire building)
5:00 P.M. to 9 P.M. (Auditorium only)
Service of Worship[edit]
Sundays
3:30 to 4:10 P.M.
BAHÁ’Í NEWS is published by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í World Community.
Reports, plans, news items, and photographs or general interest are requested from national committees and local assemblies of the United States as well as from-national assemblies of other lands. Material is due in Wilmette on the first day of the month preceding the date of issue for which it is intended
BAHÁ’Í NEWS is edited by an annually appointed Editorial Committee. The Committee for 1959-60; International News Editor, Mrs. Eunice Braun; National News Editor, Miss Charlotte M. Linfoot; Managing Editor, Richard C. Thomas.
Editorial Office: 110 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.A.
Change of address should be reported directly to National Bahá’í Office, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.A.
